DIY Control Arm and M3 Offset Bushing Installation

[Zoso]

http://zoso.no-ip.org/318i-control-arm.html

[E-30Dubbsz]

Went to replace my passenger bushing because the one on my car is ripped. I took off the wheel, and went to take off the two 17mm bolts just to realize that I wasn't strong enough to rip off rusted bolts. Is there any way to make it easier to come off. I tried spraying a bit of wd-40 but it didnt seem to work. Any suggestions?

[haledj]

pbblaster and a torch and a impact wrench in that order

[E-30Dubbsz]

how would the pbblaster and torch help it. Just out of curiosity.

[dude8383]

Pbblast is more effective than wd40

Heat will make the metal expand.

[gearheadE30]

Put a pipe on the end of the breaker bar/wrench. Use a penetrating oil like pbblaster, it does amazing stuff. It is better than wd-40 because it is oil-based and actually is designed to loosen things up. The "wd" in wd40 stands for water dispersant, so it really isn't made to loosen up stuck bits.

[E-30Dubbsz]

okay more trouble on it. I used the torch and impact on it ... after vigorous minutes of torching and impacting they finally came loose. But, then of course another problem arose. Now, it's cold out and my hands are well frozen and the lolipop with the bushing won't come off. I kind of expected this, but hoped it wouldn't happen. After tugging and hammering the rest of the bushing just ripped.





As you can see the inner metal and rubber of the old bushing is still left on the lower control arm. Now I never bought any pbblaster. Would it help to remove what's left on the control arm and what's left on the lollipop?:mad:

[tjts1]

Take the lollipops to a suspension shop and have them press in the news bushings. Shouldn't cost more than $20. Don't try to use a hammer. Its easy to damage them.

[szed03]

Or use a hacksaw/Sawzall to cut the outer metal jacket and the thing will slide right out. That's what I used to get the RTAB out. Just be carefull not to cut too deep into the lolipop.

[pbgd3skier]

A press goes a long way in this situation.

I got to the point where I was noticing alot of applications  where I might use one, so I simply got a bottle jack, two short sections of steel bar, mounted the jack to one side, and chained the two bars together, I can adjust the length of chain to set the distance apart.  Then its just a matter of using large diameter sockets and such to control where you put the pressure.  Works great, bit tricky to get everything dialed in since you only have to hands, but once you get under some tension it is easy to get lined up.

other helpful bits to adapt your "press" hockey pucks- they work great for spreading the load (also great on a floor jack so you don't marr anything with the teeth on the jack.)

Old cylinder bores are great for pressing out larger items.

Anyway, helpful to have around, and can be stashed behind a work bench.  And the jack is multi use anyway.

[P. Kennedy]

...Dremel tool.  I buzzed mine out in just a few minutes in the warmth of my basement.

[3bvert]

another helpful tip is to sand off all the protective paint where the bushing presses on to the control arm